But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for
our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by
his wounds we are healed(Isaiah
53:5, NIV).

Key
Thought:

To show the different ways that God, centuries before the Cross, had
announced His plan of salvation.

Once the Lord had provided a solution
to the deadly reality and power of sin, He immediately announced the good
news to fallen human beings. (The first missionary in cosmic history was
not a creature but the Creator Himself!) The Lord also made sure that this
promise, that of redemption, was kept fresh and alive in their minds because
He wanted His people to be ready when, through the person of Jesus, the promise
would become a reality. Throughout the history of His people in the Old
Testament, God created institutions and laws directly tied to His plan of
salvation and that illustrated its workings. By means of the sacrificial
system, the priesthood, and even the king (himself a symbol of the Messiah),
they could anticipate the supreme sacrifice, the coming of the true High
Priest, and the reign of the messianic King through whom Gods saving
purpose would be realized.

Christians have correctly found in
Genesis
3:15 a prophecy of the Messiah.

First, the context of
Genesis
3:15 indicates that the serpent is an instrument of evil and rebellion
against God
(Rev.
12:9). In the Garden of Eden this evil power defeated Adam and Eve
and extended its dominion over the descendants of the woman.

Second,
Genesis
3:15 announces the destruction of the serpent by the seed of the woman.
It will strike the heel of the seed, but the seed will
crush the head of the serpent. The Hebrew verb fp
(bruise, strike at, crush) is the
same in both places, which suggests that the seriousness of the assault depends
on the part of the body assaulted. The attack against the seed (at its heel)
is not fatal; the seed, though, will crush the serpents head, indicating
its ultimate demise.

Third, the Hebrew noun zerac (offspring) usually designates
offspring, posterity, seed in the sense of descendants as a single
group. But it can also refer to a single descendant (e.g.,
2
Sam. 7:12, 13). In
Genesis
3:15 we find both usages present. We read about the descendants of both
the woman (the faithful church) and the serpent/Satan (his followers) but
also about a single male descendant of the woman (he) who will
crush your [singular] head; that is, the serpents
head. Whenever seed denotes a particular descendant, the pronoun
that follows it is in the singular. The seed of the woman is
Jesus.

What
Genesis
3:15 suggests is that as soon as sin entered the world, God's eternal
plan of salvation through Christ was put into effect. Adam and Eve did not
experience eternal death because, from the divine perspective, Christ is
the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world
(Rev.
13:8, NIV). Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, looking forward
to the fulfillment of the wonderful promise of salvation.

Right from the start, Gods plan was to redeem us and to destroy
Satan. What are you doing, day by day, to avail yourself of this wonderful
provision so that, when alls finished, youre among the redeemed
and not among the destroyed? (Remember, in the end, its one or the
other.)

MONDAY

October 27

Abraham Saw My Day

ReadGenesis.
22:112. What was the nature of the test that Abraham
was subjected to? Why would the Lord ask Abraham to do this? What
deep issues were at stake here?

Genesis
22 does not inform us why the test was necessary, but the reason appears
to be related to the covenant God made with Abraham. In the covenant relationship
the Lord expected the patriarch to  walk before me and be
blameless 
(Gen.
17:1, NIV), a standard that Abraham hadnt always reached
(Gen.
16:14,
20:110).

Isaac was the son of the covenant promise, the one through whom Abraham was
to bless the world, and thus, without that son the promises that God had
made to the patriarch could not have been fulfilled. In a sense, by asking
Abraham to sacrifice him, God was telling Abraham that the covenant relationship
had come to an end and that the special promises made to him were now over.
Abraham was not going to be Gods instrument in blessing all the nations
of the earth
(Gen.
12:3), after all. But Abraham revealed his faith and commitment to
the Lord, particularly in his willingness to return the gift of his son to
God, fully trusting in His mercy and grace
(Heb.
11:19).

By asking Abraham to sacrifice his son, God was pronouncing a sentence against
him and bringing to an end His special purpose for him. All this, however,
changed in a radical way when a ram was offered in place of Isaac. God provided
what Abraham desperately needed, a sacrificial animal that could take the
place of his son, making it possible for the Lord to renew the covenant with
him. The human sacrifice (i.e., the death of a sinner) was substituted by
the sacrificial victim provided by the Lord, not by Abraham. Thus, Abraham
saw the mystery of the gospel, of substitutionary atonement, because through
Jesus,  it [the sacrificial offering] will be provided

(Gen.
22:14, NIV).

Our minds tremble at the faith of Abraham. What things are you being
called to sacrifice, by faith, before the Lord? What things, if any, might
you need to surrender in order for the covenant blessings to remain yours?

TUESDAY

October 28

Moses and the Revelation of
Salvation

What
was God's reaction to the act of idolatry of the people
of Israel on Mount Sinai? Why was it so strong?Exod.
32:710.

This act of idolatry was an act of rebellion against God, a breaking of the
covenant that God had just made with them. Like Adam and Eve, the Israelites
were left in a state of alienationand they would have been left to
perish had it not been for Moses intercession in their behalf
(Exod.
32:1114).

What
did Moses say to God after this incident?Exod.
32:3032. How is the promise of the gospel seen here?

Moses did not excuse the people; he made it clear to them that they had sinned
against God. But he also told them that he was going to approach the Lord
to ask Him to forgive them. Moses knew that forgiveness is very costly and
that it should not be confused with indifference to sin (the Lords
reaction to their idolatry more than proved that!). Moses himself became
the mediator of the people, their intercessor before the Lord, seeking to
obtain for them redemption from their sin. He then did the inconceivable:
he offered himself to the Lord as a means of atonement! He was willing to
have his name deleted from the book of life
(Exod.
32:32; see also
Ps.
69:28,
Phil.
4:3), if that would make it possible for the people to be restored
to harmony with the Lord.

Obviously the Lord could not accept that unselfish offer. Moses life
could not atone for sin.

The Lord revealed Himself to Moses as a forgiving God. This forgiveness is
all-inclusive:  forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin

(vs.
7, NIV). The Hebrew word translated forgiving literally
means bearing. The way God deals with our sin is by removing
it from us and bearing it Himself. Moses could not do that; God had already
decided that He would do it through His Servant. What Moses and the children
of Israel needed was provided by God.

God was ready to wipe them out for their idolatry! What should this
reaction tell us about how God views sin? What should this tell us about
how we must get sin out of our own lives?

These verses present one of the most majestic passages of the Old Testament.
This section establishes, without explicitly stating it, the limits and
ineffectiveness of the Israelite sacrificial system as a means of expiation
(the removal of the barrier between humanity and God). The problem of sin
was so serious that only the Servant of the Lord could solve it. The passage
describes the experiences of both the people and the Servant.

The People: The people went through two experiences, one of disbelief
and misjudgment, the other of confession and contrition. Initially the Servant
was perceived as unattractive, almost like a leper
(Isa.
52:14) and as someone stricken by God, smitten by him
(Isa.
53:4, NIV). Because God appeared to have rejected Him, they, too,
despised and rejected Him
(vs.
3). Then they realized that there was a divine purpose in the experience
of the Servant; that He was taking their sorrows and infirmities
(vs.
4) on Himself. He was bearing their sins, and as their substitute,
He was dying for them. In the light of the sacrifice of the Servant, they
saw themselves as they truly were: We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity
of us all
(vs.
6, NIV). It is only by looking at the Cross that we perceive the
distortions of sin in our lives.

The Servant: The experience of the Servant was extremely painful.
He was lonely, rejected by all
(vs.
3), loaded with sorrows and suffering, and oppressed and afflicted
(vs.
7) and even cut off from the land of the living
(vs.
8, NIV). Yet, there was no justification for this treatment because
he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth
(vs.
9, NIV). Why was this innocent person suffering? It was because the
Lord was presenting the Servants life as a guilt offering
(vs.
10, NIV). He was bearing the iniquities of the people, dying in their
place in order to declare them righteous and innocent
(vss.
11, 12). But after that sacrificial death, He was to see light again
(vs.
11) and to be highly exalted
(Isa.
52:13).

This prophetic depiction of the sacrificial death of Christ was offered by
Isaiah as the only effective way of expiation from sin. Christ became what
we are in order for us to be restored to fellowship with God.

Read again
Isaiah
52:1353:12, paying special attention to all that Jesus has done
for us on the cross. What hope do you see in there for yourself?

THURSDAY

October 30

Announced in Daniel

Read
Daniel
9:711. In his prayer, how did Daniel describe the condition of
the people?

In order to experience divine healing and freedom from sin, we must first
recognize our condition as sinners and as violators of God's revealed will.
A fundamental human problem is our unwillingness to acknowledge that there
is something seriously wrong with us, that we are in desperate need of
forgiveness and reconciliation with our Creator. Even forgiven sinners constantly
must recognize, as Daniel did, that we are in daily need of God's forgiving
grace.

What
is Daniel's specific request to the Lord? On what basis
is Daniel making this request?Dan.
9:1619.

Once we realize our condition as sinners, one of the most important discoveries
we can make concerning our relationship with God is that the only thing we
have to do to receive forgiveness is to ask for it. Daniel was totally relying
on God's mercy, on His wonderful grace, as the only way out of His status
as sinner.

In this chapter we also find a prophecy in which God revealed not only how
He was planning to address the problem of sin but also the time frame within
which this would happen, the when (see
Dan.
9:24-27). The how was through His Anointed One, the Messiah, the
King to which all the other kings of Israel pointed and represented. The
time for His sacrificial death and the initiation of His priestly work (the
anointing of the sanctuary) is given in terms of 70 weeks (490 years). The
prophetic period runs from 457 B.C. to A.D. 34. God expected His people to
be ready for the coming of the Messiah. What this incredible prophecy shows,
in a very clear way, is that God is not only in absolute control of every
aspect of His work of salvation but that He will make sure it accomplishes
its eternally intended purpose.

How important is it for you to remain aware that, although you have
accepted Jesus as your Savior, you are in constant need of His forgiving
grace? Is that a threat to your assurance of salvation or a way of affirming
that assurance? Give reasons for your answer.

FRIDAY

October 31

Further
Study:

Instant Substitute: The instant man accepted the temptations
of Satan, and did the very things God had said he should not do, Christ,
the Son of God, stood between the living and the dead, saying, Let
the punishment fall on Me. I will stand in man's place. He shall have another
chance. Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 1 p. 1085.

Sacrifice of Isaac: The sacrifice required of Abraham was not
alone for his own good, nor solely for the benefit of succeeding generations;
but it was also for the instruction of the sinless intelligences of heaven
and of other worlds. The field of the controversy between Christ and
Satanthe field on which the plan of redemption is wrought outis
the lesson book of the universe. Because Abraham had shown a lack of faith
in God's promises, Satan had accused him before the angels and before God
of having failed to comply with the conditions of the covenant, and as unworthy
of its blessings. God desired to prove the loyalty of His servant before
all heaven, to demonstrate that nothing less than perfect obedience can be
accepted, and to open more fully before them the plan of
salvation.Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 154, 155.

Importance of
Isaiah
53: This chapter should be studied. It presents Christ as the
Lamb of God. Those who are lifted up with pride, whose souls are filled with
vanity, should look upon this picture of their Redeemer, and humble themselves
in the dust. The entire chapter should be committed to memory. Its influence
will subdue and humble the soul defiled by sin and uplifted by
self-exaltation.Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 4, p.
1147.

Discussion
Questions:

Go back through the weeks lesson. Take everything
thats taught each day and write a summary of all that we can learn
about the plan of salvation from what God has revealed in these Old Testament
accounts. Bring what youve learned and share it with the class.

Read the first Ellen White quote listed above. What does that tell
us about the character of God? What does it mean to have another
chance?

As
a class, go over the story of Abraham on Mount Moriah. What other lessons
can we take from it about what it means to live by faith?

Summary:

Centuries before Christ was on this earth the Lord gave us promises of
salvation. Those promises were fulfilled in a very precise way. The question
remains, How should we respond to the reliability and trustworthiness of
the Lord as revealed in the fulfillment of those promises?

I
N S I D E
Story

The Radiant LightHidemi Sugawara stopped halfway down the aisle of her church and blinked
in stunned silence. Her seat was taken. In fact, the front half of the church
was full. Where could she sit? How would she hear?

Hidemi was a faithful Adventist Christian. She had lived in rural Japan for
years, but as she grew older and had more trouble getting around, she decided
to move to the city. She found an Adventist church near a subway stop and
began attending. She missed her old friends from her country church and found
it difficult to make new friends in the large city.

She sat in the front of the church to hear better. But this Sabbath the front
pews of the church were full. She found a seat toward the back. But she couldn't
hear the service. She watched as people stood and knelt, but she heard only
mumbled noises. What's the use of coming if I can't hear? She asked herself.
I may as well stay home and pray and sing alone.

As the pastor prayed the benediction his face suddenly shone with a radiant
light. Then as the worshipers walked down the aisle toward the door, she
saw that everyone wore that same radiant light. Am I dreaming? she wondered.
Or are my eyes going bad too?

She walked out of the church and started toward the subway. She examined
the faces of the people who passed by. They looked normal enough. But when
she turned and looked at the church, she saw that same radiant light on it.
What is happening? she wondered. She saw some church members at the subway
station and noticed that they still wore the radiant light.

Then she understood. God wanted her to continue attending church, and He
wanted her to know that He had a special blessing for His people and His
church. If she continued attending church, surely God would bless her as
well.

Hidemi realized that
as she fretted over her inability to hear, she had missed the blessing God
had for her by simply being with believers in His church. It was not so important
to hear everything that was said; just being there was enough. She continued
attending church and brought her friends as well. In time she made many friends
in the church, young and old.

Mission begins in our homes and our churches and spreads like beams of light
around the world. Tell a neighbor; tell the world that Jesus loves them.